Dior Faces Flak Online for Replacing Bella Hadid with Israeli Model May Tager. Controversy Explained

Luxury fashion brand Dior has reportedly replaced supermodel and long-time brand ambassador Bella Hadid with Israeli model May Tager for their latest ad campaign prompting criticism and calls for a boycott on social media.

“Boycott Dior” soon started trending on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter) with internet users criticising the brand’s move to replace the Palestinian-American model.

The controversy comes as the Israel-Hamas war goes on for a month resulting in the deaths of more than 10,300 people, mostly civilians, in Gaza as Israel advances towards the heart of Gaza City.

What is the controversy and How did it start?

The news of the luxury fashion brand making the replacement was first reported by Turkish news agency Yeni Şafak English on Tuesday, even though both Dior and Hadid are yet to make official statements.

A report in a local Israeli newspaper’s statement said, “While many companies around the world refrain from openly supporting Israel, international brand Dior has chosen Israeli model May Tager to lead their campaign, a role previously held by Bella Hadid, who has long been an advocate for the Palestinian cause and a vocal critic of Israel.”

Hadid, who is of Palestinian descent, has been known for her vocal support to the Palestinian cause and criticism of Israeli policies. Bella has been Dior’s brand ambassador since 2016 and used her celebrity platform to advocate for Palestinian rights.

Bella Hadid has made 29 appearances on international Vogue covers throughout her career. She was named Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council in 2022 and ranked as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.

However, when the latest war began on October 7, she faced flak for remaining silent for several weeks after Israeli retaliation in Gaza while sister Gigi Hadid openly denounced Israel. But on October 27, she penned a long note on Instagram, beginning it with an apology for staying silent for so long.

“Forgive me for my silence. I have yet to find the ideal words for this deeply intricate and horrific past 2 weeks, weeks that have turned the world’s attention back towards a situation that has been taking innocent lives and affecting families for decades. I have much to say, but for today, I will keep it short,” she said in her note.

“I’ve been sent hundreds of death threats daily, my phone number has been leaked, and my family has felt to be in danger. But I can not be silenced any longer. Fear is not an option. The people and children of Palestine, especially in Gaza, cannot afford our silence. We are not brave – they are,” she went to say.

Who is May Tager?

24-year-old May Tager is a famous model who has worked with international brands such as Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Victoria’s Secret and many others in the past.

In 2020, the Israeli model became the first model from her country to pose for a photoshoot in the United Arab Emirates, amid a normalisation push between the two countries during that time.

Tager, born in November 1998, is a model who grew up in Israel after her parents moved from Denmark. May Tager now lives in New York, United States.

How Internet Reacted?

Netizens criticised Dior for replacing the Palestinian-American model and also slammed the brand for its association with Johnny Depp. Soon, “Boycott Dior” started trending on X.

“The fact that Dior still gives the wife-beater Johnny Depp a platform but cuts off ties with Bella Hadid & instead employs an is*eli despite everything that has happened this past month just tells you everything about that brand,” commented one user.

Another user wrote on X, “Mohamed Hadid family lost there home in Palestine to the occupiers. Bella Hadid was dropped by the fashion label Dior and replaced by an Israeli model.”

“Now this because she has a voice and is not silent. They are going after Huda Beauty too. Boycott Dior! Thank you @bellahadid for speaking out. Could they not have replaced her with an African model from the Congo where 6 million people have died of genocide. #BoycottDior,” one user wrote.